Maintaining Physical, Social and Mental Fitness for Peak Performance

Whatever we give energy to, we give life to. For example, if we (even unintentionally) infuse negative energy, the brain reacts a certain way that reinforces a more unconstructive environment. Another more positive example is that if we focus on positive reinforcement of effort, process, and learning, we can create a growth mindset.

As a leader responsible for developing leaders, I find this notion of leveraging energy for improved results intriguing. The statement implies purpose and intent, as well as the ability for leaders to shift mindsets and create more positive outcomes. Whether our aim is to build adaptive and resilient organizations, motivated and engaged team members, or growth minded individuals, each requires deliberate effort, dedicated practice, and energy.

The counter perspective is that without purpose, intent, and energy, we leave outcomes much more to chance. Too often, we must operate in a multi-tasking, reactive environment — one in which we are connected virtually around the clock. When our energy is pulled in so many directions, we may not create the best outcomes for individuals or organizations. While that may be a grim reality for some, with effort, energy, and practice, there is possibility for peak performance.

The theme of this year’s NeuroLeadership Summit is Adaptive Organizations with a focus on the role of the brain to create such organizations. If adaptive and resilient organizations are the desired end state, then what are the processes and practices to help achieve this? And how can we build cognitive capability to achieve optimal performance?

When our energy is pulled in so many directions, we may not create the best outcomes for individuals or organizations.

The answer to both questions is that it requires energy set in the right direction. And leveraging energy most effectively requires fitness. We need to think about fitness in new ways to include mental fitness, social fitness, and physical fitness. Together, they integrated to provide the source of adaptive functioning.

Physical fitness refers to the keeping the body fit and operating at peak. Although it is impacted primarily by nutrition and movement, it is not about dieting and a strict exercise regimen. It is about eating the right foods, in the right amounts, at the right times to sustain energy.

Social fitness refers to how we interact with others across situations. We are inherently social beings. In fact, the brain is wired to reinforce that social things motivate us in positive ways. According to psychologist Philip Zimbardo and colleagues, social fitness refers to an individual’s ability to speak and act on ones values in the face of situational pressure. The concept has also been referred to by other notable authors. For example, in the Leadership Challenge, Kouzes and Posner refer to this in one of their five practices of leadership as “enabling others to act.”

There is an inherent tension in the brain between the social and the analytical. Without effort and energy directed toward understanding something that is unfamiliar or complex, the brain may substitute information when interpreting and acting on the information. The challenge is that we don’t know when our interpretations are correct or wrong. Zimbardo and colleagues run the Heroic Imagination Project (HIP) and provide additional insights on the topic of building social fitness. Some solutions involve workshops and coaching, while others, such as giving at least one compliment to one person each day and telling them what is unique about them can be incorporated into everyday routines to build the basic skill. Social fitness creates stronger problem solving and collaboration capabilities. The “we” mindset also contributes to stronger collective intelligence which translated is the collective whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Ultimately this builds integration and contributes to resilience.

Mental fitness involves the following seven practices — some of which cross over into the physical and social domains: good night’s sleep (7-8 hours is recommended), physical activity, focus, reflection, downtime, connecting time, and play time. This approach to mental fitness is similar to the Human Performance Institute‘s Corporate Athlete program which focuses on physical, emotional, mental and spiritual (or purpose) sources of energy to build resiliency and drive peak performance.

The solutions are less about time and more about practice, purpose, and quality. It is about utilizing your mind and body in possibly new and certainly more intentional ways. To achieve optimal performance, they can and should be incorporated into daily routines.
By building our physical, social, and mental fitness, we can build neural pathways that reinforce our capabilities in each of these areas and move us towards overall peak performance.